Oh Lord, please help me! You know my heart...You know my thoughts...You know the trouble Iíve seen...and You know all of my fears, too. Absolutely nothing can be hidden from You. Lord, You know of my pleas even before they form within my mind and emerge from my lips.

For some time, Lord, I have been reaching out to anyone who might lend an ear...calling out to them for help. But, my reaching and calling has been fruitless, and has recently changed into a desperate crying out for understanding. Perhaps loud, but inaudible, inner screaming is a better way to describe those feelings...and the screams are becoming more urgent and intense as the days wear on.

The fibers of my existence are being torn apart...pulled in every direction...and now, are almost shredded beyond repair. The very essence of who I am is being ripped away by uncontrolled circumstances...by thoughtless individuals...and by greedy predators with self-serving motives. I am very quickly becoming physically and emotionally bankrupt...sometimes not even knowing which way to turn. I am tired and so weary that it would be most difficult if life must continue in this way.

Lord, You know that I donít complain to others often, but when I do, itís rarely done loud enough to be clearly heard. Often times my appeals are made known to others only through a clue-filled word or comment here or there. However, no one seems to notice them, nor are they listening to my other heart-felt pleas for help. It seems as though they no longer care.

Those who I once could rely on for support are no longer here for me. They are not to be found. Now, there is only hollow silence when words of comfort and inspiration are needed most. I donít understand, Lord. Where have they gone?

But, this one thing I do know. I have Your promise and sure Word that You will never leave or forsake Your own. You have told me to cast my cares and burdens on You, for You will carry the load of every one of them for me. Lord, You have promised to give me the strength to go on day by day no matter what trials I must face. You have told me to trust in You fully and completely, for all others will fail and disappoint.

Lord, as You have promised, I know that Your outstretched arms are always there for me. Take my hand, Precious Lord, and never let go. Please hold my hand tightly, and lead me on. Then, walk slowly just ahead of me that I might follow Your footprints each step of the way.

And finally, Lord, I take great comfort knowing of this promise:

Isaiah 43:1b-3a NKJV:
Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be! TRUST JESUS NOW

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Donald, this certainly has touched my heart. I hear your call for help. Don't we all feel that way sometimes. But like you have pointed out, we can always reach out for God's waiting hand. God will take our hand and He will not let go. If we take His hand, we may sometimes, in desperation, let go. But God never will...This article reminded me of one I wrote: Triumph After Pain featuring Jeremiah's pain in Lamentation 3...Helen

Don, Amen and Amen . . . You touched a beat in everyone's heart. In this big old world of billions . . . sometimes not even one person is there for us . . . But, praise be to God, the Lord always is. One of my favorites is Psalm 9:8-10 "The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble.
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You."

"No one ever cared for me, like Jesus...." from the humn, was my comfort in my younger years when I felt abandoned. Recently I've come to appreciate how the Lord brings each one of us to the end of self, to have no confidence in the flesh, for His purpose. As I see for myself that He really is the potter and I am just clay in His hands, I can rest in the joy of the Lord, no matter what.
Thanks for writing this heart's cry, on behalf of so many others who've fallen into the pit of despair. A favorite quote from Corrie ten Boom is also an uplifting reminder: "There is no pit so deep, but God's love is deeper still!" Blessings on your head, Don!

This piece is likely to minister to a lot of people, Don. My mother used to sing an old hymn that ended,
Others have been known
To forget their own,
But God will not forget you;
God will not forget.
I am astounded at the number of people who, as they get older and aren't as productive or as well as they once were, are quite forgotten by friends and family. There is truly no one else you can count on to never, ever ever fail, and that's Jesus. He NEVER fails.

Thanks for putting into words what is so difficult for some of us to say. It is debilitating when we see nothing but the same struggles in our future. It is impossible for others to understand the invisible pain and fatigue unless they have experienced it themselves.
Knowing that Jesus has promised to be with us and the knowledge that we will one day receive new bodies is the hope we cling to.